Furniture



. many obvious disadvantages continues to be so D ete Ov l p in the ee p e that is, they of any coating or the expenditure of labor after from filler in Course Of S pp a d 9 it plied heretofore with any degree of success to the can be varied within ,wide limits; bu about equal Patented Sept. 12, 1933 1 i f; 5 i j560,'

UNITE TE P N OFFI'QE FURNITURE Lawrence'V. Redman, Caldwell, N.J., assignor to l i .Bakelite Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware V v No Drawing. Application May 16, 1928 Serial No. 278,341

s Claims. (01. t zso) I h This invention relates toimprovements in artiwith phenolic resinoids are not adaptable to the cles of furniture and is hereinafter described manufacture of furniture, nor do theyhavethe specifically in connection. with bed endsior the requisite three-dimensional strength.- Long purpose of disclosure. :sisal or equivalent fibers, however, as a filler 5 .The' invention is based upon substitution of yield a compositionbf surpr si Strength an materials whereby new. and useful properties are shock resistance, withstanding breakage and disimparted to articles of furnituretmade theretortion tests commensurate with actual normal from, Wood has been the most desirable material usage. for the manufacture of furniture, and in spite of S indicated, the fi arelohg no h to p- 5 on account of its'esthetic appeal, its low heat a e q inch to an inch or more in le h conductivity or lack of coldness to the touch, and their inherent Strength thus Utilized- They, softness as compared with metal, etc. While are hereinafter designated as long to differentiate v metal has been advocated and largelyadopted t from fi s t at are SO Short t t y 1 asa substitute for wood, particularly on account t at y add to the Strength of the e of its sanitary properties, it has been found. com: p n. Th fibers found satisfactory f r h mercially desirable to closely simulate the" appurp s s o thiSihVentiOIL'ee S p, pearance of Wood; such simulation not onlyinetc., are further characterizedby stiffness and volves extravagant waste of material, but it fursprin ss or lasti ty, a d to t s properties 20' thermore gives a h avy cumbers mid 1 k- I attribute in a large measure the strength and ing in addition the highly d irabl o ti of shock resistance found in the molded articles, the low heat conductivity, etc., that have been instrue fibers ap a t y absorbing impacts and P 7 mental in maintaining the supremacy of wood. h breakage Y According to the present invention an im- The resinous binder used with the filler is prefproved bed end or equivalent structure is pror y e phenol-formaldehyde oid, that is, a

videdthat is superior to one made from wood in material W c in its A Stage i b e a d usiits antiseptic nature and chemical inertness, ble, convertible by the application of at but which is light in weight and has a low heat to a C stage or a ubstan ially insoluble and inconductivity commensurate with that of wood. fusible eenditionvThe binder y be I Like metal it is shaped by dies or molds, thus at d as a p wd d s id with th fil ut as obviating the'labor cost ofduplication necessary the composition s t ded t be marketed as with wood, but unlike metal it can be molded su h to b m d by b h i o arti es of with a surface finish and sharpness of detail that fur tur it is pr f rre tddt binder in Such is pleasing and satisfactory without the addition a. a n t a it s not at y p at d the molding operation; handling. This is preferably accomplished by The invention in brief comprises ti l of coating the fibers with a solution or varnish confurniture, such as bed ends, molded from a com teinihg the d r in Substantially the A co iposition containing a, phenol-formaldehyde o tion dissolved in alcohol, acetone or the like and equivalent resinous binder and a filler that is then removing t v t, p a ly und r a largely or wholly composed of natural fibers, v cuu a d w thhe aat l w tempe atures preferably of the hemp family, as sisal, manila, t rav any material a c t r p y-r p, jute, and in lengths long enough to overmerizationof the resinoid. The composition so i r lap and to impart the characteristics of strength obtained is ready formolding, but as it is bulky, 'I and elasticity to the composition. I regard the due to the stiffness of the fibers and their filler as constituting an essential feature of the tendency to remain apart, the composition can composition, for, so for as I'am aware, moldable be pass through a ball mill to duc h compositions containing phenolic resinous bindbulkiness without substantial separation of the ers and other types of'fillers, have not been apbinder. The proportions of resinoid and filler manufacture of articles of this nature, due to proportions by wei have b found to b the large surfaces and other structural features satisfactory in practice. r

requiring strength and shock resistance not'pres- In the manufacture of articles from this com- I ent in the compositions. Likewise laminated maposition a polished mold is first prepared oflsteel n l terials comprising layers of paper or cloth bonded having the configuration of I the, article.- The 'mold is charged with the composition, and heavy pressure together with heat is applied. During this operation the resinoid binder is polymerized or converted to a C or a substantially insoluble, infusible condition; and When sumciently transformed, theheat and. pressure are removed and the article is discharged. For example in themanufacture of bed ends, a mold of a size suf-,

ficient to mold the entire end in one operation is constructed, and it is charged with a composition preferably consisting of about 50 per cent sisal fibers and about 50 per cent resinoid applied as a coating to the fibers. Beforechargingthe mold, however, it is desirable that thecomposition be uniformly preheated to about 100 0.; this reduces the molding period and promotes a better. molded product. A pressure of about 1000 to 3000 pounds or more to the square inch is applied, depending upon the complexity of the design,

While the mold is heated to a temperature. of

about 150 to'175" C. A bed end that in the corn -v pleted compressed form averages about one half of an inch or so in thickness requires at these temperatures a molding period" of about, 15 tof minutes. to secure, the desired polymerization.

The mold isthenrcooled. somewhat, generally-to about 100C and'the piece discharged.

The. piece. as. discharged has a high gloss dependent upon the polish of the mold and theresinoid. content. Designs upon the surface are also sharply and accurately reproduced, particularly if the surface be rich in resinoid; sucha condition can be obtained by dusting the mold before molding with powdered resinoid, then charging it with thecomposition and, if desired, supplying additional amounts of powdered resinoid on the charge beforefull pressure is applied.

The article can be varnished or otherwise coated as desired. This may be desirable when a composition low in resinoid has been used or no enrichment of the surfacehas been made.

Other filling materials can be used in conjunction with the sisal orequivalent fibers, such as wood flour; clay, barytes, etc. It is desirable, however, that the fibers constitute the major portion of the fillerto insure strength and shock resistance.

I claim:

ic resinoid binder and long natural fibers of the hemp 'family as a filler. I 7 Y 2. As a new article of manufacture, furniture comprisinga molded body of arnixture of phenol ic resin'oi'd binder'and long sisal fibers as a filler. 3'. As 'a new article of manufacture, a bed end comprising'a molded body of a mixture ofDhenol- IC resino'id binder and long; sisal fibers as a filler.

.. L RENCE; v REDMAN.

1. As a new article of manufacture, furniturev comprising a molded body of a mixture of phenol- 

